Dave Stobb’s walleye caught in MayKay Chappa and her walleye caught in June
In 4th place:
Heath’s Yarger’s Tiger Muskie, caught in June
In 3rd place:
Bruce Haan’s Northern Pike, caught in July
In 2nd place:
Zach Yarger and his Northern Pike, caught in June
And in 1st Place, the winner is…
Congratulations to Paul Evers who caught this walleye beauty measuring 26.75 inches. Paul caught the winning fish in May during opener week! Paul gets to spend $100 on us in our tackle/gift shop. We also will display this picture at our sports shows this season!
Thanks to all who voted! It was some good fun tallying the votes and so we look to continue this for next year with maybe a few more categories.
As we in the Midwest are just starting to see fall colors and leaves changing, up at Tall Pines, the last leaves have fallen, and they are preparing for winter. That doesn’t stop a certain two individuals from tackling the Wabby. While trying to get into North Bay, they encountered four foot waves, so they were forced to tuck back into Aerobus and some other calmer areas and commit to dissecting those. Dedication or craziness? I’ll let you be the judge…
Ryan commented that a ton of fish were caught in less than 15′- the shallow bite appears to be good all year. And notice how much fatter the jumbos are this time of year:
Of course perch weren’t the only fish they got into this week:
(I know some of you might be shaking your head at his head attire. Ryan says this is for all the Green Bay fans out there. Bears fans are willing to fish late season cause they are tougher- wink wink.)
In Melon’s iconic words, “It was insane”; yesterday was an epic day- crazy number of walleye. And congrats to Melon for catching his personal best walleye- a 23incher.
And messin around, they reeled in some decent northern too…
This here is truly a one of a kind friendship! 24 years ago Opie and Melon, (nicknames that have stuck) became fast friends. Though it started out with a common love for fishing, they have been there for each other through life’s up and downs, and have supported the different paths they’ve each taken. I honestly don’t know two more passionate and positive individuals than these two:
Now keep in mind that I’m down here in the states, and missing my husband terribly. He says he’s working. Yep. Such dedication, right? So, I’m not sure what his definition of “working” is these days, but clearly he’s not working 24/7. But it does let me appreciate the farmer wives out there, who may feel single during harvest, hardly getting time with their guys. Hang in there ladies! All joking aside, I think most guests would agree that he’s worked hard over the season to earn this playtime. And in between playdates, Ryan finally got a calm enough morning to move the docks. You can see from below how high the water level is:
So after the last blog’s “Finale”, I continue with an encore of some recent pics and winding down of Perrault. Dutchies officially closed for the season, and other camp owners whom we’ve befriended have also closed up and headed home this past week. We are blessed to still have some hunting guests for the season that aren’t afraid of a little cold. Ryan is relishing this quiet time at camp to not only work on some projects, but also get in some quality bro time.
Ryan and his brother Sean are double trouble together:
And just when we thought we could close up the fish cleaning house, this happened…
Check out this 13incher perch:
Look at the vivid contrast in colors:
And what a mysterious looking waterfront:
We’ve had a lot of recent rain, and thus the falls are much like they were in early spring, ensuring healthy water levels will remain for the 2020 season:
A little cause-effect action: the falls were just insane this week:
Resulting in this (what happened to our beach?):
And speaking of insane…check out this sunset:
The first dusting of snow hit this week…
Fodder came in from one of our staple hunters who came a few weeks back:
Who I can’t help but think of Bugs Bunny Cartoon, Elmer Fudd:
Lots of mushrooms among the fallen leaves:
One of Andrea’s favorites, taken by none other than Andrea:
Hope all our Tall Pines family is enjoying all things Fall this season. Wishing everyone a nice long weekend thanks to good ole’ Christopher. My Dad and I have a long running debate over the Columbus Day meaning and who actually “discovered” America. I don’t think either of us will ever concede, but it’s always a good laugh. I may have another expert in my court now though; Dad, jusk ask Alexa 🙂
Well we are officially wrapped up for fishermen this season at the Tall Pines. A few hunters will remain as the days up here are dwindling. With water temps in the 50’s and outdoor temps about the same, we are bundling up more than ever now. If one can bear the weather though, the sights are pretty outstanding. On a clear Friday night with a new moon phase, Van Gogh would have had a field day with such a starry night. Glimpses of the Northern Lights appeared too, making it one of Ryan’s favorite nights to be in Canada. There’s also more wildlife signs- an eagle reclaiming its territory on our tallest pine, lynx tracks on the driveway, and a mink down by the docks. The fall foliage is absolutely beautiful this time of year down the Highway 105.
This past week the walleye were sure to be had, but they took patience. After getting some babies, and adjusting depth and techniques, fishermen got into some good sized ones. There’s still been two bites going on- the deeper bite as well as some shallow spots. Ryan is still catching nice ones between 12-15′.
Here, Bob caught and released a gorgeous walleye:
And check out Kevin’s beauty he reeled in:
New guest Eric and his fishing buddy Barney were up for the challenge of taking on the Wabby and caught some nice sized walleye as well as smallies:
Another Tall Pines newbie, Ed, didn’t hold back in nailing some quality walleye:
This might be the biggest smallie caught this season at just under 20″:
Fly Fishing success:
and a grouse or two…
On a sunny afternoon, Ryan got out for a quick shorelunch:
On a colder day, he caught and released this 19.5″ one:
Fall at its best:
Now that we can say we survived our rookie year as new owners, I’m deciding to share a few happy moments from earlier this summer:
And cheers to the two guys who made it all happen:
This week’s sunset pic was sent in by Eric Peele and took advantage of the panoramic scene:
As we are in transition, new deposits can once again be sent to our fall/winter address which is P.O. Box 1028 New Lenox, IL 60451. The direct camp line number will work for a couple more weeks, but feel free to reach us at info@tallpinescamp.com or 888-413-3454 now and all winter long. I’ll continue the blog, though not weekly anymore. Please send any pics you may still have that you want to share, and thanks as always for supporting Tall Pines!
With a smooth turnover into week 16, Ryan and Earl were able to do some fishing on Saturday. No one was counting or anything, but Earl outfished Ryan 13 to 8- nice job Earl! So you know what that meant for dinner:
This is actually a fish fry pic from the Duckworths
Those two knuckleheads got out later in the week again and caught 50 walleye between the two of them- Earl outfished Ryan yet again. Poor Earl was complaining he couldn’t finish a smoke because of all the activity, lol.
So, guess what they had for dinner, again:
Colors are starting to change at camp, and the crisp, cool nights are coming along with it. Many heard how the Northern Lights were showing magnificently this week. I told Ryan to wake his #ss up for it- he spent 20 minutes on the dock Sunday night just watching it; said how beautiful it was but pictures didn’t turn out, so sorry to report that. Water temp is dropping to around 60 degrees and fish are starting to move deeper. Though temps have been cooling down, walleye fishing has been heating up both in numbers and size! Check out just some of the fish caught and released by Tall Pines guests this week-
Look at this 26.25″ bad boy that Russ reeled in:
Nice hat too:
Dave caught and released this nice 24 incher:
and a 25 incher:
Tyler’s 25.5″ beauty:
Mike wasn’t to be outdone by his buddies:
And, though the pic doesn’t do it justice in my opinion, the motherload caught by Tim (look at those clouds behind him) was this guy measuring at 27.25″:
Hope everyone is enjoying the opening week of Football. Ryan loves to eat snacks for dinner during football season. So all guests who were Bears fans were invited to come over to watch the game in lieu of traditional potluck this week. Then he (begrudgingly) invited Packers fans over too. Tough game- but good heckling and fun on both sides.
Some fall projects are starting to get underway- I can’t wait to share what cabin Ryan began working on this week- but you’ll just have to wait for now. I love the great responses to last week’s Facebook post “Which is your favorite cabin at Tall Pines?” Funny, how it’s the people you shared them with and the experiences that make the cabins memorable- they each have some unique quality about them- hence why the answers were all over the place! And thanks to all who still check in each week. Fall grouse hunting is almost here- if you can get out of dodge for a few days, it’s not too late to give us a call and we’ll book you one of our heated cabins. Til next time…
I can’t believe it’s wrap for Week 15 at Tall Pines Camp. It was a busy week for Ryan and Earl with most cabins being rented as well as trying to wrap up the septic upgrade and former owners Steve and Andrea making a visit. There was a noticeable change in weather this week. Winds were pretty strong a few days making getting out tough, and fall is in the air! This made chili the perfect theme for this week’s Potluck. This week’s guests had been commenting earlier in the season to “save some fish for us” and the good news is that we did.
Don Wenger caught and released this fat 37″ northern:
Carol brought in this nice stringer early in the week:
And Dan and Carol didn’t let the wind stop them from going out for these later in the week:
And it just kept getting better each day:
A sample of what was brought in to the fish cleaning house, keeping Earl busy for sure:
Denny’s group got some great shots of fish as well as scenery:
Haven’t seen a sunset with yellow hues quite like this one yet this season:
This flower made Earl think of Ryan and so it was chosen as Earl’s Inspirational Pic of the Week:
And thanks to Dan for sharing this glorious sky pic:
Wishing everyone a Happy Labor Day. Enjoy the long weekend!
Saturday and Sunday brought the hottest days of the year up here in these parts. Ryan and I had chuckled over talk of the humidity back home, and this was our payback- 86 feeling like in the 90s isn’t what Earl and Patsy are used to; luckily a cold front came in on Monday to give some relief and stir up those fish. Windy conditions most of the week created some challenges for getting into the big lake, but still plenty of fishable spots to tuck up in. Walleye fishermen were pretty pleased this week as one regular guest said this has been their best year fishing for walleye. The fish cleaning house was busy with lots of eater walleye, northern, and perch being brought back. We have still been on the summer bite, but the transition is starting with those cooler nights. Can I just say, the best sleeping weather…
Beginner’s luck? This is Jenny’s first time on the Wabaskang and she caught this 25.5 inch walleye! Caught in first 15 minutes of fishing! Congrats Jenny.
I wasn’t Jenny lucky, but was quite content reeling in this healthy eater size that made quite the dinner that evening:
Laura also did quite well catching a 31″ northern (her personal biggest fish ever). Love that the ladies were representing this week:
The Instagram pic of the week was Ryan’s 27″ walleye; he loves sharing fish stories with guests, so ask him about this one next time you’re up:
Ryan has a special relationship with fish; here a private moment saying good-bye to his walleye friend:
Clayton and Scott enjoyed bringing this nice stringer of pike:
As I returned from a minnow run one morning, I had to stop and just appreciate how Ryan and Earl take pride in making the entrance to Tall Pines Camp so inviting and clean looking. We always welcome those in the area or driving through to pop in to meet us and see what we’re about:
Camp life had a nice rhythm to it this week- I can’t begin to describe how much I enjoyed the group of women this week! From some deep conversations while blueberry picking, to yoga on the dock with an encore session later in the week, self-care sessions, and one of the best potluck spreads we’ve had all summer, thank you girls!
The Johnson family, another group of Midwest farmers, was such a pleasure to have with us. Kiddos Brayton and Bentley had fun changing Bigfoot’s outfits:
Thanks Brandy for this fun gift!
And here is Earl’s Inspirational Pic of the week (Bridget’s version of “dock duty”):
This week has me full of emotion as it was my last full week at camp. It was a glorious way to wrap up for me, embracing all the nature and time with guests as well as my hubby. Ryan and I were able to celebrate our 17th year wedding anniversary. Here, Earl and Patsy showered us with this adorable moose and bottle opener. Where to put them…
We celebrated on the Wabby. We used to do this same celebration on Green Lake, Kankakee River, or wherever we were camping for our anniversary, so it is a nice tradition to continue, just in another country now 🙂
Lastly, last week’s guests sent some great fodder:
A recent guest Mike was thinking of Tall Pines while he golfed:
Brent caught and released this phenomenal northern:
Tricia was determined to catch a northern:
And Addison reeled in this 12″ jumbo perch:
The girls who met last year were reunited – time capsule still there, and matching clogs to keep in tradition:
And Karen’s family got some incredible wildlife pics:
I know what you must be thinking, but this is not fake- this is actually real. Sigh…
Though my summer here at Tall Pines is coming to a close, there is still much fishing and hunting to be had this season- any guest that comes back a second time this season will enjoy 25% off! Inquire on some last-minute openings at info@tallpinescamp.com. Take care everyone!
Week 10 was a rare opportunity where Tall Pines Camp was full of entirely our friends and family from back home. Though exhausted like never before, it has been a tremendously fulfilling week. The thing is, we used to spend our entire summers with these guys. So we tried to cram an entire summer’s worth of activities, laughs, and of course fishing into one week. Kids ran around until late in the night with flashlights catching frogs and playing hide and seek while adults played bean bags until the last touch of sunset disappeared into the darkness. The guys drank beer and whiskey while telling priceless fish and life stories in the fish cleaning house.
This group was up for doing it all: Smores, ice-cream, fish fries, bean bags, cards, byomeat nights, kayaking and swimming, blueberry picking, hanging with Earl, and lounging in the hammock filled the gaps where we weren’t fishing.
Earl has become officially part of the Taylor clan. He fit right in and was immediately embraced by all of us. From helping Dad into the boat, to his patience with Max and Sam as they were SUPER excited for their perch loot to fillet, golf cart rides when he had a minute, and everything in between, Earl’s mastery of his craft allowed Ryan and me to also enjoy moments this week .
Here Earl and “Uncle Opie” give educational entertainment to some of the nieces and nephews on fish filleting:
It will take months to sort through all the pics taken from this week, but here’s just a few:
Some of the fish caught this week:
Perfect weather for yoga on the dock:
Fish fries replaced traditional potluck a couple afternoons:
This is Earl’s Inspirational Pic of the Week (he says this is what Ryan looks like in the morning):
The nieces and nephews exploring islands, our shoreline, and enjoying boat rides:
We unintentionally had a serenity type dock and a more lively dock this week:
Everyone is exhausted as they pack up (as well as us) but the memories of times spent together are so worth it. I get now why so many families that have moved away from each other choose Tall Pines as a place to re-connect, a reunion of sorts. Whether blood related or not, this group here we consider all family, and is one of a kind, and we are touched by their support of our dream and whirlwind of a life.
To wrap up, some great moment’s that Bridget’s mom captured from last week:
A few more pics from week 9 where these three collectively caught fish in the triple digits:
For those coming up soon, know that fishing has been great for most, water levels still normal to high, weather has been fantastic (70’s-80’s has been a relief to those with heat wave back home), skeeters and ankle biter flies are definitely out and about, and there are still tons of fish to be caught, even with warmer water temps. Ryan personally got into some nice walleye and all the others this week so he will have some specific hot spots to share with you at welcome-checkin if you like
With Week 6 falling on the longest sunlight day of the year, it was a little like Vegas time as this week’s campers were all on their own schedules- some getting on the water at 6 a.m. while others having a leisurely morning and taking advantage of the afternoon/evening bite. It went too fast!
As far as water temps, they are slowly creeping up (low 70’s), and Mayfly hatch came and went in Ruby and is now in North Bay. Good news, is that where one area of the lake may have them, there’s always another area that doesn’t. Ryan had some great conversations with our guests on areas to try as well as those not worth going to based on current conditions. Guests were finding out that they didn’t have to go into 3rd lake and beyond, as our first lake was producing quite well. The leech bite is on now too.
The Yarger group sure know how to fish and were such a pleasure to talk with. This week’s Instagram pic was sent by Zach. Check out Heath’s 40 incher tiger muskie he caught and released:
The Bear’s Den Segler crew took advantage of the late sunsets:
With some intermittent showers on Tuesday and the winds picking up, Fred reeled in this northern:
And check out this beaut of a muskie caught by Tom and sent by Pat:
Greg and Michelle’s family had a nice mix of fishing and relaxing at camp. One day Ben and Stephanie took a quick break from fishing to get a little peddleboat workout in- our first guests to take out one of our water toys this season:
John and his Dad Karl drove through the night to get to Tall Pines. Their relatives had a cabin right next to Tall Pines years ago, and so they both have some great Wabaskang memories going back many many years. We love how they are just soaking in the father-son time and no matter what the fishing outcome was on a given day, they were blessed to simply be here.
Due to their experience on the Wabby, their outcomes were usually pretty good- above is John’s 17″ smallie and below is Karl’s 21″ walleye:
Phil brought his dad and son. Hayden reminded Ryan of himself at that age as far as fishing every waking moment while up here. He’d be the first to the docks in the morning, and would want to be out all day, and then at night he’d wade on the shoreline flyfishing- for 7 days/nights straight! Dad and Gramps were basically along for the ride but also got into some nice fish. Hayden’s enthusiasm and dedication to fishing is remarkable!
We enjoyed hearing stories from our campground guests that have been to over 200 lakes in Ontario alone! We pray Jane, Dale, Mike, and Vern made it home safely as they had to cut their trip short.
Last week’s Connor nabbed this 26″ walleye-
Bill and Kaity who celebrated their one year anniversary, caught and released these guys:
Sandy, John, and Kerensa had a fun week exploring and catching some:
And sometimes it’s about the smile, and not the fish, that makes a picture priceless:
I’ve been missing Parkview Church back in the states, but took advantage of church on the water this Sunday:
After catching a number of eater size walleye, I was happy to have to release this one:
Excited to get a project crossed off the list; the teacher in me was so excited to organize the laundry house . Not a dime was spent on this “re-model” as Ryan re-purposed materials and I decorated with things already around camp:
To wrap it up, Earl has become an integral part of the Tall Pines experience. With his unique perspective, we are starting an “Earl’s Inspirational Pic of the Week”. Each week I’ll feature a new pic that, while others at camp may overlook, Earl finds inspiration in, and hopes you all do too. Thank you Earl:
This week the Wabby was a little finicky- there were many fish caught, but a couple days the weather was a little too calm (like the above picture) which made it a little more challenging than typical. Fortunately, most got into the pike and walleye especially. By mid week, the wind picked up and numbers increased. It’s been getting better each day. As the perfect storm is building, we think the Wabby is about to get insane here real quick.
Our weekly potluck was going to officially start in June, but the guests decided they still wanted to do something, so we did an appetizer night- it was a success (we may do this again occasionally), with Ryan making pike-cakes, and guests each bringing an app.
Loved the pics of some wildlife like this pair of bald eagles…
Sherry caught this wildlife and sunset combo:
Dave got a nice smallie and released a gorgeous walleye:
while Kevin was not to be outdone:
I like this new trophy tradition that Emma posed with Gramps for:
Ryan was impressed with Ruth’s top notch fishing knowledge:
No words on this one…
From week 1, the pictures came in:
Wow- (above) Jim reeled in this monster walleye!
And guests kept Earl busy filleting…
John netted these two bad boys:
Mike caught and released this beauty:
Paul boated this 26.75″ walleye:
Tony caught this 40.5″ Northern:
Karl’s face here is priceless:
And arguably the pic of the week is Dennis’ pike:
Terry (above) and Hunter (below) bringing in some keeper crappie
And I love the stringers so famous in Canada:
Steve sent some phenomenal pics of him and the young-ins:
And this video is also now on Facebook and Youtube:
the first minute is so calm…and then…
These reflection sunsets are Andrea’s favorite:
Finally, Paul captured this view that made the new cover of the Facebook page…
We can’t believe May is over already. Thank you to all our week 2 guests who were so fun for Ryan! Looking forward to June as the fishing continues to build, and we will be meeting many guests for the first time.
Summer is finally here, and what better way to celebrate than booking a trip to Tall Pines Camp. We still have room for you, so give us a call or shoot us an email so your pictures can someday be featured here. Tallpinescamp.com , info@tallpinescamp.com, and 888-413-3454.
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